Thursday, August 21, 2008

The Infinite Gift Of Time

I received an anonymous comment on one of my last posts, and I felt compelled to respond.
At first I dismissed it, thinking it was a crank or a good-natured rib from one of my cycling co-workers. Maybe it was more of a "Wow, building that bike is going to take you a very long time! That Rambouillet frame looks really nice and I applaud you for taking the time learning to build a bicycle for yourself." But I don't think so...since there wasn't any constructive or encouraging content included in the comment at all.

I thought about posting a cute, pithy, or sarcastic reply. In fact I did, thought better of reacting in the moment and simply hit the delete button. The comment went into the trash bin as well.

It actually made me think a bit, "Ciclista". Short but to the point.

The post simply stated: "Clearly, you are a man with a lot of time on your hands."

If only that were true. I would certainly enjoy having a lot of time on my hands to spend on things that must be done including things I enjoy doing as well. Spending time with my family tops the list, followed by work, business obligations, paying bills, home maintenance, and the like. Cycling and working on bikes is certainly important to me, but it is a hobby, and my blog is a way of sharing my experiences with folks who might appreciate a bit of 'bike nerdishness'.

I truly appreciate having a partner (my wife) who understands my bicycle obsession, and the vast amount of precious free time I have is spent with her. If I can squeeze a bike ride or two in there, great!

As I move deeper into middle-age I see my parents, in-laws, and other relatives aging. It makes me realize how important it is to spend time with them as well. It seems like yesterday my daughter was in diapers...now she's in her second year of college. The incalculable amount of invisible free time I've had watching her grow up certainly has slipped away quickly!

I am thankful for any minute I can spare to spend time on things that are truly important. Anything left over for cycling is truly a bonus, and a blessing!

To all my ciclista friends, anonymous or not, I wish you all the free time your hands can carry.

Cheers -Dwight

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